Winters Passion
by nethowin
Summary: With Johto's very first winter sports festival taking place at Mt. Silver, the best athletes from the region and beyond prep themselves for a busy week of competition. For Lexia, however, it's a difficult time when her world is flipped upside down.
1. Chapter 1

Mount Silver. One look at its majestic heights could send shivers down anyone's spine. Most people take in the landscape's beauty from afar, safe from any dangers the mountain would throw at them. However, there are few who desire to seek out what Mount Silver had to offer, from the hidden secrets kept within or simply the thrill of conquering the journey to the clouds. Pokémon too seek those same dreams; some even make the mountains their home.

 _ **nethowin presents**_

With one final step into the deep snow, he chuckled with accomplishment as his heavy breaths instantly iced into mist from the freezing temperatures. Luckily, the wind that day had died down hours earlier and the clouds made way for the sun from every point in the sky which gave off more heat than what he was used to. The young man took a quick look behind his shoulder to see a vast downhill slope of pure snow, few trees, and cliffs of various heights. It was a perfect day to hike up Mt. Silver.

But the young man didn't take a five-hour hike nearly up to the summit of the great mountain for the view or just for exercise. No. He came for the thrill he always enjoyed ever since he learned to do what he loved. Snowboarding. That particular run he had planned in his mind was nothing special though. The town's folk would say that his planned run was dangerous and crazy, and it was, but it quickly became normal to him after riding it so many times in the past.

Seeing the surrounding mountains again melted his heart in a peaceful way. Beautiful. And one could see a town or two if they looked hard enough.

A vibration suddenly became known which snapped the man out of his trance. He opened a zipper in his heavy winter jacket and pulled out a touch screen cell phone before sliding part of it up which revealed a keyboard, activating the lit screen. The device held an icon on the screen which meant he had a new text message. A few moments of navigating, he opened it and it read:

" _From Lexia: 'Hope the trip up was as pleasant as the sunny sky Lyte. When will you return?'"_

The young man, Lyte, grinned. If anyone knew when he'd be back, it'd be her since she usually tagged along. Then again, she never enjoyed being left alone without him. She was like a shadow; following him wherever he went, enjoying the same things he did. Lexia, Lyte began reminding himself, had ,in fact, lived with him for years now and she too loved the mountains. Most importantly, he was always grateful that she adapted to the harsh winter environment instead of being forced to a warmer climate.

After removing a glove momentarily, he keyed in a reply: "Sometime around three maybe. See you then." The time on his cell told him one forty-five in the afternoon; enough time to ride the casual run. He slid the device back into the pocket of his jacket and pulled off his grey toque to run a hand through his lengthy black hair before putting it back on his head. "Ughh, that's right." Lyte rubbed his forehead in self-disappointment, letting out a sigh. It just hit him that Lexia wanted to go shopping later that day, to which he totally forgot. "That's probably why she texted," he mumbled to himself. But even if they didn't go, Lyte knew the stores would be open the next day too so there wasn't any rush to get back. Still, he didn't want to let her down... again.

Lyte checked his gear, making sure every piece of clothing wouldn't get ripped or caught on the way down. Ski pants, winter boots, snowboard jacket, toque, ski goggles, and gloves, everything was secure including the lightweight backpack he wore which held emergency supplies and a multi-decalled snowboard. A few loosened straps from his pack later and his board was free, holding it by his side with one arm, still gazing down the mountain. It was no ordinary snowboard, however. When stored on his backpack, it could change its size from a full-length snowboard to the size of a skateboard by a mechanism that allowed both ends of the board to shift and slide down the core. Also, the board didn't need traditional bindings either. With one pair of snow boots at a time, it syncs and binds together tightly with the same technology as Pokéballs. One would think that what held the boots and board together was the power of magnets, but that wasn't the case. The unique snowboard had been his most prized possession for quite some time after he built it. It was, in fact, a prototype.

With his gloved fingers, he pressured a certain part on the board and made a small pattern near the Lyte Bindings, his name for the prototype binding mechanism, which activated and extended the board in a few seconds flat. He smiled proudly, staring down his run. That was the best part: the start of something thrilling and exciting. With a running start down the slope, he took one giant leap, placed the board right side up beneath his feet in mid-air, made contact with the board using his left foot causing the locking mechanism to activate, and locked both of his feet firmly onto the board, all before landing in the deep snow.

"Man, I love this board!" Lyte happily yelled out loud, performing a couple carves in the deep snow for a condition test. Satisfied with how soft the snow was, he leapt up, straightened out his board and headed directly downhill with impressive speed. Enjoying every second of it.

 _ **Winters Passion**_

* * *

Way down, below the clouds of the mountains, stood Lyte's two-level wooden home, away from most of the trees that made the forest. The wooden house was triangularly shaped, vertically except at the base, and a large glass protected the interior on the mountain-view side of the home from the blistering winter cold with its crystal clear see-through attributes. To the side of the home was a connected garage, nearly big enough to be a workshop capable of fitting two large pickup trucks. On the roof, a few large solar panels were carefully placed to take in as much sunlight as possible, giving the structure more than enough power.

Lyte's house was close enough to reach the upwards slope in little time but far enough to avoid the nasty avalanches that roar down on occasion.

Inside, a beautiful, slim young girl, who appeared to be in her late teens, carried various bright, colourful flowers in her hands to the centre of the carpeted living room before kneeling down to put them inside a vase where they sat atop a glass coffee table. The girl's short, blonde hair that she kept straight, flared outwards like a wave from her head while two areas stood up and back symmetrically like wings. Since it was almost always cold outside, she enjoyed wearing casual white cargo pants, and a simple white t-shirt which was covered by an unzipped pink, red, and white light winter jacket, clean hiking boots so it wouldn't mark up the carpet, and finally a silver bracelet on her left arm which sparkled like diamonds in the sun. But it was her eyes that made her stand out though; her bright autumn eyes that held such joy and happiness.

Lexia smiled, partly because the room was nicely organized and clean, and partly from the sun which shone brightly in from the window, giving the flowers their bright, beautiful colours. From the same large window, almost the whole mountain could be seen; from the summit to the bottom. Eventually, if she waited, Lexia could clearly watch Lyte riding down when he got close enough. There were already two or three faded trails from his past runs written in the snow from the day before.

She slumped down on the large couch, head rested on its armrest while she gazed out the window and silently sighed. Why did she have to sleep in? If she didn't, she could've gone with him like usual. Well, Lexia thought, he was nearly at the top so there wasn't any point catching up just to head back down. So instead she tidied up the house and fed the two Pokémon before eating herself. It wouldn't be too long till he got back anyway. Shifting her head to rest on top her hands, she waited, hoping to see a figure rushing down the mountain. Hopefully, Lyte remembered to take her to Newbark Town before the shops closed. Last time they went, she found a certain store that sold miniature wooden statues of all kinds of Pokémon. One particular statue caught her eye but they didn't have enough money to buy it at the time. Now that Lyte withdrew more from the bank yesterday before heading home, she could go back with him and buy it.

That is, if he returned in time. A quick glance at the digital clock sitting on an end table and she found the time; two-thirty in the afternoon. Lexia tilted her head in a thinking expression, trying to remember what time the shops closed. Four maybe? Four-thirty? She shook her head. Five the latest, that's for sure.

"Arrrrrw!" Along with the howl and a couple barks, scratching noises began originated from the door as it was heard by Lexia instantly. She got up from the couch and made her way past the kitchen to the main door beside the garage door, knowing of only one Pokémon who made those noises when he wanted to come back inside. Dagger; a mightyena on Lyte's team. Once she turned the doorknob, Dagger did the rest impatiently and pushed the door open with his head, rushing inside covered in snow. Lexia took a step back and covered her eyes with her arms when the mightyena shook his fur free of snow, leaving it to melt on the black door mat before brushing his paws clean on said mat. Lexia closed the door and frowned at Dagger, because Lyte taught him not to do that again but mostly because she just finished cleaning the entire house!

Dagger didn't seem to notice anyway as he padded his way down the hallway where the staircase to the second floor was and out of sight. All the girl did was shake her head in annoyance and broom the rest of the snow that was on the wooden floor onto the mat where it would melt without a mess. Dagger, was the team's mess. Still, she knew the mightyena was one tough Pokémon. Lyte certainly did a great job teaching him to become strong, like he did with her. Lexia believed being around him made her behaviour change for the better. Just like him, she always took the most efficient way to solve anything and barely took any nonsense from anyone. Not to mention he made her more independent too.

Lexia snapped out of her thoughts and eventually made her way back to the living room, nicely adjusting various decor along the way. Once there, she fell back onto the couch and grabbed her cell from the coffee table, checking the time again. It was almost three. Surely he should be back soon... Hopefully. After another silent sigh, she shifted herself along the couch to a more comfortable position. Midway through her movements, she took a quick look out the window and realized that a fresh line was created along the snow. He was back! Lexia jumped off the couch with excitement, rushed to the door and outside onto the walkway where most of the snow was shovelled earlier that day.

After quick glances from right to left, he was nowhere to be seen on that side of the building. So without hesitation, she chose the left side along the garage, past the parked snowmobile and peeked around the house. Lexia smiled and rushed up to Lyte who was knelt down in the snow, back turned to her while fiddling around with his snowboard before being interrupted by a tight hug from behind.

Lyte nearly jumped, chuckling as he padded her arms that nearly strangled him. "Hey, sleepyhead."

Lexia released her hug attack and knelt beside him in front of the prototype snowboard before her giving him a playful frowny-face. Lyte shook his head in amusement before returning his attention back on the board, using small tools to release a binding. Whatever he was doing confused her to some extent. Being beside him the whole time while he built the prototype, she was familiar with how it was constructed, but she couldn't understand why he was taking it apart.

Because of her reaction, Lyte noticed and explained the problem. "The board worked fine all the way down, but it locked up on me when I tried shifting it down again," he explained as he scratched his head, sighing at the contraption. "Not quite sure why."

Remembering how the board shifted, she eyed the miniature gears sharply and immediately noticed tiny rocks held together by snow, jammed in the joints of the device's interior. Perhaps Lyte didn't see it because of all the snow? Lexia narrowed her eyes at the problem and pointed where the most buildup was, before gazing up at his confused expression.

"Hmm?" Lyte lowered himself for a better angle and saw what she found. "Huh, would you look at that," he mused, returning to his original position. "That shouldn't happen..."

Lexia knew damn well how rocks got in there, and so did Lyte; he just didn't want to admit it. So she sat back, crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow at him.

It was pointless arguing with her. Lyte just gave her a guilty smile as he recalled the rough parts of his run. "What? It was only a few jumps. Besides, that's what testing is for." Guilty as charged. Lexia rolled her eyes with a grin, stood up, and looked beyond the trees behind her where the general direction of Newbark Town was.

The message was clear as day for Lyte. It was only a matter of time before he had to give in to her 'silent' demands. Well, he did promise her. "Alright Lexia," he said with a playful, unenthusiastic tone just for the sake of bugging her. "Guess I'll just fix this later. Go grab the truck keys and we'll go."

Lexia instantly spun around and clapped her hands together happily, a wide smile on her face as she ran back into the house.

Left behind was a dumbfounded Lyte. Typical of her; always showing tons of excitement and happiness. Lexia had been like that ever since he's known her, even from the moment he first laid eyes on her. He planted his hands on the snow behind him and leaned back, eyeing the beautiful sky above. "And I still don't know how she does it," he wondered to himself. Only a few times has he seen Lexia get mad; two of those three was because they got into a fight. Even then, it wasn't directed at him... But the third, he began to think before forcing himself from bringing up the memories. Never again. Lexia was still a lady in his eyes and she deserved to be treated like one.

But... Was it the right thing for him to do? Did he deprive her of her rightful freedom because she got too accustomed to his lifestyle? That, Lyte did not know. And the truth was a haunting dream that troubled him nearly every day.

Just like at that moment. It was hopeless pondering on the matter like he did so many times in the past. So, instead, he narrowed his eyes to the blue sky again and whistled five notes which, when played together, sounded like a soft melody that echoed throughout the area. He waited and listened. Silence followed as a cold breeze passed by, rustling the thick trees around him. Then he heard him, the flaps of his strong wings that disrupted the calm air pattern.

"Pidgeeoo!" Lyte grinned at his flying type's loud cry and stood up to search the sky for him. From the east, he spotted the large Pokémon closing in the distance before the pidgeot swiftly landed before his trainer.

The bird Pokémon stood tall, taller than Lyte, before he gladly allowed his trainer to ruffle the feathers on his head. "How you doin' Aero? Eat yet?" Aero cooed softly along with Lyte's touch, shaking his wings in response; his way of saying yes. That second, Lyte heard the door open and shut.

A few more second later, an excited Dagger raced around the corner, already recognizing Lyte's scent, and just about tackled him to the ground. Dagger stood on his hind legs and rested his front on Lyte's chest, wagging his tail as he panted. Lyte laughed at the Pokémon's usual reaction. "Hey, buddy!" He scratched around the mightyena's ears, to his great liking. "Is our fourth coming?" In response, Dagger barked and made various groaning noises. "Oh yeah?" He pushed Dagger down on all fours, petting him. "You guys stay here alright?" With that being said, both Pokémon did as told and looked at each other before Lyte picked up his board and tools off the snow and made his way inside the house. Behind him, he heard Dagger and Aero conversing in their own way.

"Lexia?" Lyte called when he entered the house. "I got Dagger and Aero waiting outside! Are you ready?" Not waiting for an answer, he entered the garage through another door, flipped the lights on, and saw the white coloured, four-door pickup truck parked on the far end. "Damn it needs a car wash," he grumbled to himself, realizing how much mud and dirt stuck onto the vehicle from his last outing. Lyte made a mental note to clean it later and set down both the tools and the snowboard atop a wooden workbench.

What was taking her so long to find keys? Now that Lyte began recalling his last trip, it was possible he didn't bring them inside... He walked up next to the driver door and opened it, causing the vehicle to produce chiming noises from the interior. Lyte hung his head and sighed. The chime only meant that he _did_ leave them in the ignition. "Found them!" he yelled before climbing inside. A press of a button on the rear-view mirror commanded the sliding garage door to open, revealing a bright white canvas of snow outside. As soon as he started the engine, Lexia entered the garage and jumped in the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Lyte eyed her with a grin, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the shifter. "Guess where they were?"

One look at the silver keys hanging from the ignition was all it took for Lexia to figure it out. She playfully rolled her eyes which made him chuckle before he reversed the truck out of garage and next to the two Pokémon who friendly sparred on the snow. Lyte remotely closed the garage door and opened the drivers. "Hey, you two!" Dagger looked up from his position on top of Aero, seeming to have won the fight. Lyte grinned at their playfulness before the two got up in attention. "We're going to Newbark Town," he started. "Aero, do you want to follow us or go back into your Pokéball?"

Aero walked forward, lowered his beak and pointed it near Lyte's waist where he stored the team's Pokéballs; Aero, and the whole team's gesture that meant to return. "Ok." Lyte understood and pulled out his Pokéball before recalling him. "What about you?" he asked Dagger who predictably placed his front legs on the truck's step-up. Lyte reached an arm over and opened the rear door, allowing Dagger to jump in before closing it.

With one last breath of fresh mountain air, Lyte pulled himself in the driver's seat, shut the door, pulled his goggles off his head and onto the dashboard, and navigated the vehicle toward Newbark Town.

* * *

 **Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read my brand new story I've been working on for over a year now. I really enjoyed writing this story and I do hope I can provide entertaining content. One thing that's completely different from my other stories is that this fic is nearly complete. My plan is to release each chapter one month apart from each other. Whether I follow that plan or not... is on me. I'm not going to lie, life hits us at unexpected angles, but I'll try my best!  
**

 **OC's are used with permission.**


	2. Chapter 2

Silence. That was the first thing Lexia noticed before she opened her eyes from her nap, yawning. Were they in Newbark Town already? She couldn't hear the engine and realized Lyte was missing from his seat... Keys too. Dagger was gone as well but she found Lyte's ski pants and winter jacket in the back seat; he opted for fewer layers of clothing while she was asleep. With a pull on the seat's adjustment lever, she brought the seat back up to its upright position and instantly recognized Newbark Town's small shops all around her. Apparently, Lyte decided to park the truck in the centre of town where a snow-piled water fountain was built. With all the people walking around town wearing lighter clothing, it must have warmed up. Still, slushy snow dominated the grounds where people lacked the motivation to shovel.

Lexia frowned. Where was he and why didn't he wake her up? A crowd off in the distance caught her attention. People surrounded a small circle where she assumed a Pokémon battle was taking place. From that angle though, she couldn't see if Lyte was the one battling or not.

The sun was beginning to show its exquisite evening colours as it seemed to inch closer and closer to the horizon. How long was she asleep? Regardless, with most of the town's people gathered in one area, it'll be easier to find the store where Lexia saw the statue. Luckily for her, the store she sought was only a couple buildings down the street from the truck. 'Diana's Crafts' was printed on a small sign of the two-story building. The light green coloured store looked similar to any other house in Newbark Town but someone renovated it a shop, or so Lexia believed.

Lyte or no Lyte, she exited the truck and made her way to Diana's Crafts, passing a couple running kids and their parents along the way that greeted her with a friendly smile. The door of the shop rung with a bell when Lexia pushed it open, revealing shelves of statues, paintings on walls, and other miscellaneous crafts, all small and large. It was like a small paradise for her; she absolutely loved art but never tried creating any for fear of Lyte not liking it.

"Hello dear," greeted the same shop-keeper Lexia recognized from her last visit. Lexia simply smiled warmly at the nice, aged lady behind a counter who she believed was Diana. The shop-keeper reminded her of Lyte's grandmother who also had grey hair. Diana smiled back at the young girl and went back to organizing product by the windows.

Everything in the shop amazed Lexia to no end. She couldn't believe the talent people possessed to create all those pieces of work. That thought led to a question in her mind: Did Diana make most of them? She studied one of many paintings on the wall, admiring the technique and colours used to create such a beautiful scene of a yellow sand beach out-looking the bright blue ocean. If she practiced enough, could she ever possibly make an amazing piece of art like that?

Lexia happily smiled and clapped her hands together. It was decided. Lyte's birthday was coming up in two week's time which was more than enough time to practice and paint him a present... Right? Yes, of course it was! The only negative thought rolling around in her head was: What if he didn't like it? She thought for a moment, blankly gazing at the floor.

Not before long, the one and only solution she could think of was to check with someone before giving her present to him. Her smile returned as excitement brewed inside her heart for the new future project. Remembering where the statue she came to buy was, Lexia walked down the aisle to the other side of the store, trying to recall if she already had the art materials needed. She would have to return to buy the rest. Once she rounded a corner of the shop, she instantly narrowed her eyes to where she last remembered seeing the statue, excitement growing to see it again. But the next instant, Lexia's heart stopped.

The miniature statue was missing.

She rushed up to the shelf where it once was and rapidly searched every level and the nearby shelves in hope that Diana possibly moved it. Nothing. Another wooden statue, one of a gyarados, replaced the spot where the one Lexia wanted to buy was. Lexia's head fell and her features saddened. All the waiting and travelling... For nothing.

"Having trouble finding something?"

Lexia slowly looked behind her shoulder to find Diana standing behind her.

One glance at Lexia and Diana became worried. "What's wrong dear?" she asked softly, concerned. The sadness was clear in her posture as she rested a finger on the shelf's surface where the replaced statue was. It took a few moments for Diana to put one and one together, finally realizing what the girl really wanted before giving her an apologetic smile. "You're looking for that one of the legendary Pokémon, aren't you?" Lexia nodded slowly, eyes blankly fixated on the gyarados statue. "I'm sorry but that was bought earlier today." Giving up, Lexia gave the shop owner an appreciative smile and walked to exit the store. She truly believed the day was ruined. After all, where else could she find the same, masterfully crafted statue anywhere else? That was the only one she set her heart out to get.

Outside, she noticed that the large group of people dispersed, leaving a massive ring of footprints imprinted in the snow where they gathered. Disappointment led to the lack of motivation to continue exploring the town. Instead, she starting making her way back to the truck, catching sight of Lyte in the distance talking with a small group of people near the vehicle along with Dagger sitting next to him, panting. Lyte didn't see Lexia coming until the few people happily thanked him for whatever reason and walked away.

He grinned at her, anxious to see her reaction. "Oh, there you are!" Lexia attempted a smile but it was difficult. "Guess who I found." The second he sidestepped, two people showed their faces from behind him, more importantly, a certain face that took Lexia's negative emotions and flipped them upside down. The girl behind Lyte gasped as Lexia smiled incredibly. Lexia's breath was taken away; she couldn't believe it was actually her!

"Lexia!" the girl squealed happily, instantly giving her a massive hug. Lyte smiled at the two before an awkward situation rose, leaving him to stand silently beside the other person; his sister's new boyfriend. Lyte tried thinking of something to say to the guy but nothing came to mind. Instead, he watched the two girls reunite again after nearly a year. Lyte's younger sister, Jen, who was a rather short person than her older brother with the same black hair but in a ponytail, released their hug and held both hands on Lexia's shoulders, as if her own mind was playing tricks on her. "It's so nice to see you again!" Lexia completely forgot about the missing statue minutes ago and smiled brightly at her, nodding. "I hope _he's_ treating you good," she teased her brother through the comment. The blonde rolled her eyes; they both knew Lyte always took care of them both, but it amused her just how much she liked giving her brother a hard time.

Lyte also latched onto the same train of thought and quickly retorted. "Way better than when I had to watch you, that's for sure." He chuckled as he embraced his sister in a one-armed hug, remembering the times he had to babysit her while their parents were out.

"I hope so," she sneered, releasing. "A slowking could cook faster AND better than you."

"Ha. Ha," he emphasized slowly, crossing his arms, a mischievous grin creeping across his features. "What I should've done was let you starve." Which, Lyte thought, would have been easy since his little sister barely ate as a child anyway. Perhaps Jen would've turned out less of a brat.

Jen immediately wore a puppy face and shrivelled where she stood, arms held together below her waist as she leaned in towards her brother, the same coloured emerald eyes as her sibling's seeming to sparkle with the evening's glow. A trick only she knew how to do. "Oh you wouldn't do such a thing to your sweet little sister would you?" she whined softly.

Yeah right. Lyte chuckled to himself, rolling his eyes. She _would._ "C'mon Jen. Try all you want but that old trick will never work on me." Behind his younger sister, Lexia held a hand up to her mouth, laughing. How the blonde enjoyed watching the two relatives communicate; so unique and entertaining. Jen sighed in defeat and rolled her eyes nonetheless with a grin, standing up straight again. "So who's your friend? You haven't introduced us yet," Lyte asked finally, mentioning toward the poor left out guy who snapped out of his mind upon the realization that he was brought up.

Jen rejoined her companion side-by-side again and grinned widely as he naturally held her with one arm, answering with, "I'd like you to meet Chayse. We've been together for a few months now." The couple made a lover's eye contact before she mentioned him forward, making Lyte cringe on the inside. "Chayse, this is Lexia." Lexia grinned shyly and waved. "And that-" Pausing just because she could. "Is my brother, Lyte."

Introductions went just as he imagined, adding insult to injury as Lyte shook his head, smiling. And the second Lyte opened his mouth for a comeback, Chayse spoke up out of the blue, wide-eyed and filled with sudden shock. " _The_ Lyte? Like owner of New Horizon? The Champion of Winter?"

"I have no idea where you got 'The Champion of Winter' from," Lyte answered with light chuckle, leaning against the fender of his truck. "But I try my best," he said, soaking in the attention.

A scoff momentarily broke Lyte's spotlight coming from none other than his sister with a roll of her eyes and a murmur. She was barely audible but Lyte and not to mention Lexia heard her, saying they'll give just about anyone a nonsense of a title. Worry and pity overcame Lexia. From what she observed each year, it was a form of jealousy that Jen was guilty of. Specifically, however, she couldn't answer for; Lyte's sister never confronted her brother about the matter. Not to Lexia's knowledge anyway, as she latched onto Lyte's jacket in worry of a fight.

Chayse released a breath of excitement as he made for a handshake by bringing his right hand forward, seemingly ignoring Jen's attitude or just not noticing. Lyte gladly returned the gesture, knowing full well of Lexia's concerns although he wished he could tell her right then and there that he'd never cause a scene in front of his sister's new boyfriend. "So that was you in that crowd," Chayse commented before he turned to Jen, cheerfully continuing, "you never told me your brother was Lyte." Apparently the mood failed to reach Jen as she gave him the straightest face one could give another before she turned away; she brought it up once, however now she wanted to slap him for not wearing his ears back then. "But it's awesome to finally meet you," he continued in fear of the menacing lady in his arms, breaking the awkward silence.

"Nice to meet you too Chayse," Lyte answered calmly, resisting the urge to shake his head at his sister; he shouldn't be surprised anymore. "I'm sure you'll take care of my little sister eh?" Jen sneakily met eyes with Lexia and smiled brightly like she was an angel, confusing her. All the blonde did was cock her head to the side with a raised brow and grin, trying to piece Jen together like she would every visit.

"Oh no, I mean yes!" Chayse hesitated, bringing her closer. "You can count on me." Jen scoffed.

Lyte raised the corner of his lips. His sister's new boyfriend must have assumed his jokingly question made a threatening impact on him. The only time Lyte would step into the relationship is when she'd get hurt. Nevertheless, Lyte dismissed it and asked, "how'd you two like to come over for dinner sometime? It'd be nice to have you over again Jen; I know Lexia would love that." Immediately, the blonde hugged him tighter and gave him one of her signature happy smiles that Lyte always loved seeing, all the while stirring up ideas on what delicious meal they could cook for them.

Honoured and shocked to be invited by one of those he looked up to, Chayse froze on the spot. "Ohh that'd be nice," Jen spoke up, a look of mischievous plastered across her face. "Will you be cooking or Lexia? Because y'know, I like my food-"

Sighing, her brother's head fell back as he stopped her with, "yeah yeah." She'll never let that go, Lyte thought, meeting their eyes again. "I'm sure Lexia won't let me near the kitchen." Lexia happily shook her head jokingly. "And my cooking isn't all _that_ bad. You'd be surprised." Jen merely sent her brother a lovingly smile, mutually acknowledging her friendly humour. "Give me a call sometime and we'll set up a night."

Jen nodded and hummed as Chayse sheepishly answered, "I'll make sure of that," with a chuckle, receiving an elbow to the side of the ribs courtesy of his girlfriend.

"But I'll call you later this week. We'll be here a few days before we head back to Cherrygrove," Jen answered, returning Lexia's smile.

"Sounds good," Lyte agreed, standing straight to embrace their farewells as Jen and Chayse turned to leave. "See you later." Lexia waved to the couple as they waved goodbye in return. If she had the ability to jump forward in time to their dinner, she would, gazing up at Lyte as he looked on. But that didn't mean she didn't enjoy her time with Lyte. So it'd be pointless. Lexia smiled to herself, watching them as they walked away.

"Lexia!" Jen yelled, hand raised into the young night sky, waving. "You take care of Lyte! Make sure he doesn't get in trouble!" Hand position mirrored already, Lexia jumped in agreement and waved with a brighter smile before they disappeared around the block. Lyte merely stood and grinned, head pointed down and eyes closed, sighing.

"Well," Lyte started, gazing down at her. "Shall we head home?" Lexia nodded gladly, giving a tired expression before she hopped into the passenger seat of the vehicle. With a lower pitched whistle, he opened the rear door of his truck and waited a moment before Dagger came sprinting from the town's water fountain he was hanging out at while they visited, jumping in. "Can't wait to sit by the fireplace and relax," he commented, already dreaming about it as he climbed into the vehicle himself, taking off his jacket. "Wasn't snowing today, so it won't take us long to get back." The truck roared suddenly upon ignition, bringing several lights in the darkness while Lexia adjusted the truck's cabin temperature to the highest it could go, beginning to shiver. Grinning at her, Lyte shifted the vehicle into drive and navigated out of town, back home.

The only present light outside was the truck's headlights, beaming down the road of white and grey. The moon and the stars hid behind several thick clouds, concealing their beauty to the world below. Lyte glanced behind him. Dagger was peacefully sleeping in the back seat, sprawled out like he usually was. But oddly when Lyte looked to his right, Lexia had her head rested on her arms which in turn were laid across the door's panel near the window as she blankly stared outside. It was faint but she sighed, mind focused elsewhere or bothered. "You should get some rest. We still have half an hour to go." The blonde girl rose, saddened expression across her features, read the time of nine thirty-eight at night on the dashboard, and returned to her position, sighing again.

A solemn grin snuck its way across Lyte's mouth; he knew exactly what kept her from doing so. But he wondered, was now the best time? With the push of a button, an upbeat track began its playback from one of his music libraries stored inside the media control, a relaxing song that wasn't too loud yet enjoyable; one Lexia enjoyed herself. Although Lyte felt it didn't faze her, Lexia appreciated his gesture and kept her smile hidden, watching the near pitched black trees of the forest pass them by, countlessly.

The garage door opened on a button's request, revealing a heated lit interior as the vehicle approached. Although the night was still young, Lyte was nearly ready to hit the hay; he figured he lived out a full, long day. Thinking of sleep brought tired tears to his eyes and a wide five-second yawn as he pulled in, shifting the vehicle to park before the garage door shut behind them. The music calmly played quietly as Lyte fell back into his seat, sighing in exhaustion. Lexia was fast asleep in her chair, cradled as best she could in the amount of space she had. Even Dagger peacefully dreamt in the back seat, sprawled out.

Lucky.

A simple counter-clockwise twist from the ignition and the truck was switched off, everything went silent. Lyte exited, opened the rear door in case the mightyena needed out before opening the door to the house, gazing inside the dim interior and went back to Lexia's side. It never came as a surprise that she was still asleep. After all, Lexia was a heavy sleeper.

Careful not to disturb her, Lyte slowly opened her door, unbuckled her seatbelt and scooped her into his arms as her head fell gently on his shoulder. One feature he appreciated from her was how light she really was. Even without his training up on the mountain, he'd be able to lift her no problem. And she was perfectly healthy without looking too skinny.

He couldn't help but love the sight of her innocent face as she slept; an angel in both wake and sleep. _His_ angel. Lyte smiled and brought her inside, removing his boots with his feet by the door before continuing to Lexia's bedroom which was located on the main floor, nearby the wide living room. Her door was decorated with homemade artworks, drawings, and Lyte's snowboarding posters as he nudged it open with his back. Inside was similar to a typical female teenager bedroom complete with its 'creative' colours of purple and pink, but without the mess of one.

Jen always told her brother that Lexia's room was too big when the house was first built. Lyte, on the other hand, argued that girls need their space, regardless of where they lived. But she was right to a point: two years and the blonde has yet to fill and perfect her little piece of heaven. Still, even what the nightlight provided in the dim room, everything seemed professionally placed. Lexia's canvases were hung straight, her grey coloured queen-sized bed well made, end tables and desk clean, and finally, the miniature Pokémon statues lined carefully across a shelf.

Lyte gently slid her underneath the blanket, taking off her jacket and boots in the process as she naturally cuddled herself in the bed, strands of her hair falling just above her eyes as he stood. "Peaceful dreams Lexia," he spoke softly, pulling out a small box out of his jacket pocket before placing it on the night-stand next to the bed for her to find come morning. He grinned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

After adjusting the respective lounging lights around the house, he changed into more comfortable clothes and sank into the leather sectional couch opposite of the fireplace and television, sighing in relaxation. The night sky out the massive pyramid window looked as beautiful as ever, behind the dark curtain of the mountains.

A soothing silence fell steadily on Lyte's ears as he anchored his arms behind his head and crossed his legs wondering, what mom and dad would have thought about Jen's boyfriend. "Well, maybe third time's the charm," he said, grinning towards the ceiling, to nothing particular. "Besides, that's how you met dad." Lyte's face went solemnly straight, reaching a hand to the air before continuing, "isn't that right mom?"

A breeze of wind and snow pressed against the glass, twirling and dancing in the winter's night. "I miss you guys," Lyte said quietly, resting his raised hand back on his chest, his gaze, outside.


	3. Chapter 3

Sunlight rays seeped through the cracks of the purple curtains in Lexia's faint lit room, inviting its sleepy inhabitant to the bright world outside as she shuffled under her thick blanket and yawned. To her, something felt off in her half-awake state as she slowly lifted her autumn eyes for the first time that day. Lexia was in her bed, and in outdoor clothing too.

Another yawn later, she finally sat up, hair in all kinds of unnatural angles and places. The house was quiet indicating that everyone else was still asleep or out and about. Pushing the blanket away, Lexia hung her legs off the side of the bed and reached for the ceiling in a long stretch, puffing her chest out like she hasn't stretched in weeks. Perhaps that morning was going to be the morning she took another trip to town just in case her to-be prized possession would be there, and maybe while Lyte slept.

But at that moment, her clothes felt uncomfortable for such a beautiful sunny morning as Lexia rubbed her eyes and stood for her dresser, stripping down the cold resistant attire she wore along the way home. Next, Lexia found matching blue ducklet cotton pyjamas and changed into them. She then grabbed a comb and looked herself over in the mirror. The crazy-haired monster that looked back at her made her giggle inside as she began sorting her blonde hair out the way she preferred. Nearly to the point of near perfection, Lexia rested her comb atop the dresser and nodded in approval to herself with a smile, noticing something she hadn't before in the reflection behind her, resting above her night stand in the narrow beam of sunlight from the window like from one of Lyte's old treasure hunt movies.

The small brown wooden box fit nicely between her two slender hands when she picked it up. Behind, carved lightly in the corner of the box, were the initials of Diana, the shop owner down in Newbark. Only once Lexia had laid eyes on such a box and that was when Lyte bought a necklace for Jen on her school graduation. Maybe Jen somehow left it in her room since last she visited? But Lexia could've sworn her table was clear when they left yesterday.

With a simple push of a thumb, the top simply slid back, revealing its contents. What was inside made Lexia's heart skip as she froze in surprise. The elegantly carved statue she lifted was as perfect as a starry night sky in every aspect. From its shape to the clear-coating that protected the wood, it was precisely accurate from the top of the Pokémon statue's neck down to its wings. A latias.

Happiness nearly overwhelmed her that she wanted to jump for joy and scream if she could, but that would risk breaking her prized possession. So she rushed over to the shelf that held the rest of her collection and carefully placed the latias statue in its reserved spot that remained empty for the past year. Lexia stepped back and held her hands to her mouth as she smiled brightly, almost shaking with excitement. Finally. For so long she was on the lookout for the latias statue that she even convinced Lyte to take her to the neighbouring cities, however to no avail.

Lyte! He left it for her, he must have! Lexia rushed to the door and pulled it open, squinting through a wave of bright natural light that entered through the massive triangle windows by the living room. And sleeping topless on the couch with an arm hanging off the edge was Lyte, buried in the sectional, the thick blue blanket he used now on the floor. Lexia was so happy she wasn't going to care how she was going to wake him up. So she did the first thing that came to mind.

Throw herself at him in a bear hug.

Lexia jumped into a belly flop and landed happily on his back that almost took the air out of the poor guy's lungs, waking him up in a giant hug. At first, Lyte's mind and vision was a blur until he blinked a few times and chuckled. "Morning," he managed to say half awake, smiling. "I'm guessing you found my present?" Lexia made sure he could see her nodding excessively as she gave him another hug. "See? I don't forget _everything_ ," he admitted, chuckling light-heartedly. She merely rolled her eyes and smiled at him, getting off as he sat up. A great wave of sadness washed over her emotions once she saw the diagonal scar across his chest; it never ceases to bring those memories back. And when Lyte was finished rubbing his tired eyes, he quickly picked up on it, finding his shirt before putting it on.

He knew how just the sight of his scar made her feel, but no matter how many times he told her it wasn't her fault, she never stopped blaming herself. No words were needed to be said about just how bad she felt about it. That was the past, Lyte kept telling her throughout the years.

"So," he spoke up grinning, almost completely awake. "Let's see it." Lexia let out a silent gasp and mentioned him to follow as she excitedly scurried away into her room. The blanket was picked off the floor and set onto the sectional as Lyte got up and stretched before he rounded into her room. "Oh wow," he said, admiring her collection once she flipped the light switch. "Remember though, you'll still meet all kinds of Pokémon when we do more travelling. I'll need to make you a bigger shelf!" He chuckled, placing an arm around her in a semi-hug, feeling proud of her. Lexia was happy, smiling on, picturing all the future Pokémon she'll be able to meet and befriend as she rested her head on his chest. A few calming moments passed them by before Lyte spoke up again. "Shall we go have some breakfast?" he asked, yawning. The blonde happily nodded in response, gazing into his elegant emerald eyes. "I got quite the day ahead of me; have to go into the office, unfortunately," he informed her to a neutral expression. "But we'll see if we can get Jen to drop by tonight if she isn't too lazy." Lexia easily smiled and nodded through his nonsense as they left the room.

((((()))))

"On to our next matter," said one gentleman in business attire, standing before a large round table of clients, sponsor representatives, and Lyte. "The region's sporting committee, and myself included, have previously condemned any actions taken to recruit athletes from beyond Johto... We stand by our statement," he went on explaining to negative reactions. "Initial statistics have shown little interest in the 'Ultra Winter Festival' from Kanto and Hoenn. And although numbers have risen since announcement, relocating athletes and resources from other than Johto is quite costly; there is simply no demand. In addition, the Pokémon League will not allow it."

The board room fell silent as all eyes turned to Lyte as he stared at the typical wanna-be boss of the committee he represented. Lyte couldn't stand his type, and furthermore, it was plain stupidity to continue oppressing the festival at such a late stage; there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. "With all due respect, Mr. Tinur, the sporting committee has absolutely no say in the festival whatsoever; it's the free will of my fellow athletes that will attend on their own accord," Lyte said, unfolding his arms and loosening the black, fabric dress jacket to cool down. "And the Pokémon League has already signed on ever since the project was first proposed." Lyte reached for his briefcase at his feet and pulled the contract from one slot before resting it on the table for all to see, saying, "so if you don't have any documents saying otherwise, it's all right here."

"If I may," said another gentleman, chairman of an extensive line of Pokémon products, meeting Mr. Tinur's eyes. "Whether or not the Pokémon League agrees with the events is irrelevant. A private company, in this case, New Horizon-" The man respectfully traded nods with Lyte as he paused, continuing, "-has every right to establish any event, so long as three major sponsors back the project. Which," he said, mentioning to the rest of the representatives around the room. "we can all attest to."

Mr. Tinur was left speechless and frustrated behind his professional expression as he stood, straightening his tie before packing his documents into his suitcase. "Then I have nothing more to address," he said, taking his leave out the boardroom.

"Well," Lyte spoke up, all eyes switching back to him as he leaned back in his seat, a grin on his face. "I guess it's his time of the month." The silent room quickly filled with chuckling. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming and the helpful support you've given to fueling a new innovation," Lyte said once the room quieted down, standing with a respectable smile across his face. "This concludes our meeting, enjoy the rest of the day." The remaining fifteen minutes was left shaking hands and professional pleasantries as the group fell one by one.

"Good luck in the competition," the last man to leave wished as he shook Lyte's hand, the overseer of the Pokémon Centre Supply Chain Management Association. "Hope that will be the last of Tinur," he said, both of them chuckling.

"Yeah, me too. And thanks. We'll keep in touch," Lyte answered with a grin as they both exited the room into the hallway, watching him leave before Lyte fell back into the wall, mentally exhausted. He ran a hand through his lengthy black hair before letting out a sigh, admiring the mountain view through a large window ahead of him. A meeting such as that one shouldn't have been over two and a half hours to finish, he thought to himself; they should've been done two meetings ago but _no_. Stupid sporting committee, so selfish and greedy.

"So how'd the meeting go?" a female voice spoke up. Lyte gazed to his side and was met with two of his employees, Katherine and Dave. Katherine, a blue-haired fixed in a ponytail and blue-eyed young woman a year younger than Lyte in a dress skirt and jacket, was Lyte's secretary he hired a little more than a year and a half ago. And Dave, who Lyte knew for a few years, a tall curly brown-haired man was Lyte's primary helicopter pilot and head engineer. Also a good friend of his, and one of the few people allowed to wear whatever he wanted which was usually worn winter gear or clothes he found on his bedroom floor.

"Ugh, no more meetings for the rest of the month," Lyte answered. Katherine sheepishly chuckled, a binder of documents she held at her side.

"Oh there'll be more, definitely," Dave half-jokingly answered, a wide grin on his face.

Lyte stood up and sneered. "You'll go instead of me then next time."

Dave went wide-eyed with a fake horror expression and gazed away. "No man, can't have that." Lyte chuckled.

"Here are the sales numbers you requested," Katherine said, handing him the binder which he gratefully took with a thank you. "I'll be heading home for the rest of the afternoon. That's if you don't mind," she kindly inquired.

Lyte took a quick look at the information and closed it, remembering her request a couple weeks prior. "Oh yeah. Your friend is coming in from Alto Mare right?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed with a nod. "He'll actually be visiting long enough to check out the festival next weekend.

A boyfriend perhaps? Lyte pondered about it but didn't want to bring it up at work. So instead he teased with, "maybe I'll meet the lucky guy come time." Katherine blushed slightly but kept her cool, both guys noticing as Lyte saved her. "Well, I'll see you on Monday Katherine. Have a nice weekend and enjoy your visit."

"Thanks, Lyte! See you two later," she said, taking her leave.

"Later!" Dave said, turning back to Lyte, a worried and confused expression on his makeshift double-chinned face. Lyte merely shrugged and they both made for the building's lobby. "Are you going to be practicing at the grounds this weekend?" he asked once they reached the reception desk.

"More like the whole week," Lyte answered, buttoning up his jacket as he gazed outside the front doors; the grounds for the upcoming winter sports festivities. "As much as I try, I can barely land a smooth triple cork. So that's probably what I'll be practicing most of the time."

Dave clenched his hands into fists, pumped for the event, wishing it would come sooner. "Man I can't wait. I've been to smaller competitions but something like this?" He was almost speechless.

Lyte grinned excitedly. "Just wait on how the snowboarding community will react when I reveal the prototype," he said.

He must have forgotten about it because Dave froze with his mouth agape, staring at Lyte. "Aww people are going to shit their pants." Both men busted out laughing as all eyes in the lobby switch to them for a second.

"Well let's hope we won't have any distress calls this week or next weekend," Lyte mentioned truthfully, placing his hands in his pockets. "That's the last thing we need."

"Oh I know," Dave answered. "But I'll probably be stuck in the shop if you ever want to stop by. Or if you need me. I'm sure you'll need more tweaks to the prototype."

Lyte nodded. "I wouldn't doubt it. But hey, I'll catch you later."

"Sounds good. Later."

Both young men went their separate ways, Lyte heading for the exit into the cold sunny day and Dave further into the offices. Once he had passed the double doors leading outside, a fresh wave of cold air washed over him while the rays of the sun did its best to keep anything dark coloured on him warm and comfortable. It truly was an awesome sight to see before him as he stepped off the deck of the building and onto the ski resort grounds. The lifts were active but only for festival personnel, but that didn't mean the main grounds weren't completely empty. Groups of people busied themselves with the preparations for the upcoming festival. Lyte pulled out sunglasses from his jacket pocket and slipped them on before he gazed further up the slope. Maintenance crews continued to work on the half pipe and the big air portions of the competition while further across were the snow-cross and slope-style courses that were completed just days ago. And at the moment, sponsor crews were busy setting up the main stage, judge's tents, and the Pokémon battle arenas.

It was an exciting time to be a boarder and a skier.

Lyte made his way to parking and found his truck quickly before making his way home. Aero was first to find his trainer coming as the pidgeot followed the vehicle excitedly through the air when he got close. And Lyte knew, almost expected his Pokémon friend to watch for him; he didn't need to even look up to the sky.

((((()))))

The doorbell rang softly throughout the house in the early evening just as Lyte was scurrying around the kitchen trying to prepare dinner for him and his guests. And grateful to his decision earlier, he wasn't going all out just to cook for his sister and her boyfriend; that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. At least however, they won't complain about a homemade pizza. "Lexia! Mind getting the door?" Not even a few seconds later, Lexia was rushing out her bedroom door and skipping toward the entrance with big smile on her face. Soon the cold air came sneaking inside while Jen's excited voice overcame the music he played in the background through a small speaker on the table.

The shuffling of winter clothing and heavy footsteps were made known until the door was shut. "And where's that brother of mine? It smells too good in here. That can't be Lyte's cooking," Jen said from the door, raising her voice so he'd hear her. Lyte shook his head as he opened the oven to check on their food.

Out from Jen's yelling, Chayse spoke up quietly. "Glad I skipped lunch if it is."

"It's ok, I remembered to buy you some veggies so you don't _have_ to eat what I made like the buneary you are," Lyte teased as she walked in while taking off her jacket.

Jen gasped once she realized what he made before she hung it on a dinner chair, taking a better look into the bright oven. "Well I can't go without having a slice; it's one thing you're good for at least." Lyte just chuckled and greeted his sister with a hug as Lexia and Chayse appeared from around the corner.

Lyte nodded to Chayse, saying, "good to see you again."

Said man had placed his jacket in the closet to be respectful in his host's home unlike his girlfriend before he began eyeing Lyte's home for the first time, impressed. "You too Lyte," Chayse answered. "You got a nice place here. I'd never be able to afford something like this."

Jen retreated back to her boyfriend and spoke up, trying to encourage him. "Don't be like that. Maybe one day you will." Lexia walked on over to Lyte and took a seat on one of the high stools of the kitchen island beside the oven, gladly observing.

"Well make yourselves at home. Supper will be ready soon," Lyte mentioned, grabbing himself and the blonde a glass of water to hold them off. The couple took the suggestion and made for the living room, the fireplace burning brightly in the evening's darkness. Chayse was overwhelmed by the interior design, especially the large window at a mountain's doorstep. Although he couldn't see much through the night, he knew it must have been quite the view. The flat-screen television above the fireplace was on but only played music throughout the room, just how Lyte enjoyed it over the years, Jen thought; she felt nostalgic. "You want anything to drink?" Lyte asked, peeking his head from around the kitchen corner.

"Just water for me."

"What do you have?" Chayse asked, gazing back from their seat on the couch, receiving an elbow to this side, which he didn't understand.

"Juice, water, milk, pop... You want a beer?"

Jen lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't drink?" she said, suspicious.

"I don't," Lyte answered, eyeing her expression. "What? You think everyone that drops by _doesn't_?"

He had a point as much as she didn't want to admit it. And she knew she should put more trust in her brother than to jump to conclusions. "Sure," Chayse finally agreed. "If you don't mind."

"Not at all." Her brother disappeared from around the corner and returned with their two beverages in hand. "Lexia, why don't you show Jen what you got earlier?" he asked behind him, giving his guests their drinks. A squeak from the chair and Lexia was in the living room almost immediately, leading Jen into her room excitedly by the hand. Lyte grinned and return to the kitchen, taking the pizza out of the oven.

What he didn't realize right away is that Chayse had followed him and took a seat beside Lexia's chair. "That looks delicious," he mentioned, setting his beverage on the wooden surface.

A chuckle escaped Lyte's lips as he turned off the oven. "A family recipe to be honest. I'm not _that_ bad a cook as Jen might make me out to be."

"I sorta stopped listening to anything she tells me about you lately," he answered sheepishly, making himself chuckle. "But man," he expressed, shaking his head slightly before continuing in a more hush tone. "I just don't get it with Jen. You know she kept you a secret all this time?"

Typical. Lyte sighed, taking off his oven mitts before leaning on the edge of the counter. He couldn't help but shrug. "Doesn't surprise me anymore."

"It doesn't bother you?"

A moment of silence calmed the waves between them as Lyte remembered most of the previous times his sister had committed such an ignorant deed. They _have_ fought about it in the past but Jen always had the habit of keeping the truth bottled up inside, like some kind of high school teenager. The only reasonable explanation Lyte came up with throughout the years was the most obvious one: jealously. As young as they were, Lyte had it already made while his sister was still studying to pursue her Pokémon nursing career. Granted he didn't complete his business program, Lyte had the necessary knowledge of a business owner. "I stopped caring a while back," he answered plainly, not knowing what else to say about the matter.

The two men fell quiet. Chayse shifted in his seat while Lyte took the opportunity to set dinner plates across the table, thinking of an escape out of their awkward situation. "So what do you do Chayse?" Lyte asked politely, continuing to set the table.

"I, um," he stumbled to say, making Lyte raise a brow. Jen was dating a guy who couldn't even buy her flowers? "I don't work right now."

An unimpressed Lyte stood by the opened fridge looking into it, sighing. Luckily for his guest, the two hungry girls walked in and Lyte's expression went from disappointed to a full grin in a second as he made to meet them. Surprisingly pleasant conversations took place while they ate in peace. And for once that evening, Jen complemented her brother for the tasty pizza, even though she concluded with 'it doesn't take much to make a pizza'. However, as Lyte looked past all the kind words Chayse sent his way, Jen's boyfriend still felt awkward around Lexia since he had given her a few stares while she happily stuffed her face. Apparently the inability to talk rendered him uneasy which, naturally, Lyte didn't admire. Surely Jen told him that fact?

Dinner was over quite quickly. The 'loving couple' retreated to the living room while Lyte and Lexia stayed behind to clean up before joining them. A typical stairway to the Elite Four action movie played on the television programming, filled with nothing but Pokémon battles, explosions, and a cheesy love story. Host and Hostess took a seat on the sectional couch across from the couple for the remainder of the movie as Lexia casually leaned against Lyte. He could have sworn catching curious looks from Chayse but Lyte couldn't be sure without making himself look obvious.

Overall, their evening was a nice visit. Lyte could tell Lexia was growing tired after they left for the night, even during the movie he felt her doze off a little. Lyte stretched in his seat on the couch with tablet in hand, producing an over-exaggerated yawn and moan that made Lexia shake her head in a wide smile when she appeared out from the restroom in pyjamas. The backlight of the flat screen stayed on, displaying no picture as it played faint background music and most of the house lights were either off or dimmed down; truly feeling like bed time was imminent. She made to sit beside him before leaning over to see the content on his tablet. "Doing some final research so our festival doesn't go down in flames," he said jokingly with a grin.

Lexia smiled before reaching for the notebook on the coffee table, writing for a moment before showing him. 'Days and nights can't pass sooner when I may finally see you then.'

"But you've already seen me practice and pull off some moves," Lyte answered with a chuckle. "Don't think I have anything new to show you." She nodded but kept writing.

'People. Never before people. I wish to be among them when they see you.'

"Ah," he said, understanding. Thinking back, Lyte realized she had only seen him either practicing at the festival grounds alone or up on the mountain. He rubbed her back gently, smiling optimistically. "Well let's hope I won't disappoint them." She lifted her notebook again and he watched her write with a smile on his face.

'Never.'

Lyte couldn't help but keep his expression and the faith she had for him as he brought her in for a hug. Soon Lexia flipped over a fresh page while still in his arms and begun drawing as he peeked over her blonde hair. He loved it when she drew; such a talented artist she was made out to be. It would take him years of practice and maybe a lesson or two to even come close to reaching her level. And even then, he'd never be as good. But when she finished the drawing, she handed the notebook to him and he embraced the full image.

Complete with shading, was Lyte on his snowboard performing a simple midair one-handed nose grab in full winter gear, one hand piercing the skies. One word was written at the corner: Dream.

Lyte loved it.


	4. Chapter 4

"There! Put us down near that ridge!" Lyte yelled to his pilot through deafening roars of the helicopter's motor and blades, holding tightly onto the safety bars welded to its roof. Dave moved his head to the side and nodded in confirmation through his visor as he made the descent to one of Mt. Silver's neighbouring mountains, at mid-level. Dagger and Absol laid at the ready on the cabin's floor like they were taught to, away from the two doors on either side of the craft, both panting calmly and obediently while they awaited instruction. A few days ago, Lyte heard about an anomaly from one of the mountain's hikers that placed him in critical condition at Cherrygrove City's hospital; even the man's Pokémon were sent straight to the Pokémon Centre for, thankfully, non-fatal wounds. Unfortunately, the hiker was in a coma when Lyte visited for some answers.

Very unusual for those mountains, Lyte thought troubled, brows furrowed as he scanned every slope and crack of the white surface. As part of his passion and the duty of his company, Lyte couldn't sit around and allow such an event to slip by. Not on the very mountains he and Lexia called home. The mountain Pokémon were more aggressive than those down on ground level sure, but for them to put a man in the hospital... Something was up.

"Fifteen seconds!" Dave yelled, hovering the craft near one of the most level natural platforms he could find for a safe drop. Lyte merely nodded as he stepped to reach for the helicopter's roof storage for his snowboard, having to settle without his prototype that time around for a normal mountain board with a wider deck for deep snow; the prototype had too many variables to watch for in case anything went wrong. To make a quick escape, Lyte needed a reliable board that wouldn't stop him or slow him down. Sitting comfortably between the open doors in his thick gear, he checked the board over as he admired its blue and black tribal design before raising his eyes to the two strong Pokémon ahead of him, grinning to them.

Lyte stood again and moved the board behind him before it simply attached to his pack with clips and strong magnets, which was the only downside to equipping a regular board; the length wasn't adjustable so it'd be worsening his mobility if it catches anything. The thought quickly wavered as the craft levelled and hovered. "Ready!" Dave notified as the two Pokémon quickly stood and jumped out a small twenty-foot drop into deep snow.

"Remain within radio contact and wait for my call! I don't plan on being here long!" Lyte ordered, receiving a nod before he dropped and landed softly into the deep snow beside his companions. They watched the bright red helicopter ascend away as it got silent with nothing but the wind catching their ears and calm blowing snow bouncing off white and black fur. With Absol's and Dagger's strong sense of smell, they'll detect anything unusual before Lyte can. Both Pokémon immediately began sniffing and looking for any clues while Lyte made sure that they were in the correct area. "Doesn't help he was found during the night," he commented to himself, double checking over the documents he had on hand. Since the hiker was found, the mountain had already reclaimed that area beneath a sheet of snow. Although, he puzzled, he was found near a small crevice within the mountain. Lyte gazed further up the mountain. "Ones I know are up there." But one thing bugged him: Records revealed he had minor hallucinations. What exactly could have caused that? It was impossible to find out if the man was crazy or not while he was under.

At least the sun was out and clear skies paved way for a decent day. Lyte lifted his neck warmer above his nose and secured his goggles to his toque before calling his two companions as he worked his way up.

"This... Is supposedly the place," Lyte said after fifteen minutes of hiking, checking the coordinates on his wrist navigator. Before them was a small hole in the mountain and to his right was a small drop-off that looked to be at least a two-story drop into ice. "I doubt that old fool wouldn't be stupid enough to fall down there." Dagger grunted in agreement while Absol still investigated the area. Lyte gave the mightyena a scruff on the head before he continued to think. During the climb up, they've only seen a handful of Pokémon ranging from flying and ice types. Lyte expected more. The pattern that the snow made around them didn't look natural; a battle definitely took place that made a mark on the ice. But, from where? Lyte gazed over the drop-off a second time and examined it carefully. The walls of pure ice were normal but Lyte did make out a small indent near the bottom. He sighed. Without the right equipment and manpower, going down was too dangerous to achieve alone. And frankly, Lyte didn't feel it was worth risking his life at that moment.

"Soool," Absol growled lowly, interested in the indent within the wall of rocks and snow. The young man immediately walked over and stood side by side with the disaster Pokémon, not finding anything out of the ordinary. However, the wind did begin to pick up and clouds began to roll in, indicating a possible chance of snow and fog. And it got worse by the second. Dagger hopped through the deep snow to reach Lyte and Absol as they backed towards the wall. Minutes went by and soon it was impossible to see the bottom of the mountain. The downfall of snow gradually became heavier and thicker as the temperature dropped suddenly. Lyte was forced to pull down his goggles to see as both Pokémon stood close in case they got separated. No blizzard starts that quickly, Lyte thought to himself as his heart rate rose, watching for any means of a threat. Visibility reduced to a mere ten feet around them as Lyte stepped further back into the wall nearly to the point of contact.

"On your guard you two," he said boldly to his Pokémon, growing irritated with the sudden blizzard. Their fur swayed wildly with the wind as they lowered and readied themselves for an attack. They were prey to whatever was stalking them; back to the wall. "Absol, Razor Wind. Dagger, use Howl," Lyte quickly ordered, trying to ready up as best he could. Absol's claws dug deep into the snow as he stood silently while three vicious small whirlwind-like tunnels grew and rotated around him. The mightyena's howl echoed around them sending chills even to his trainer. Waiting was not one of Lyte's strong-suits so he instantly took action. "Now Absol, three directions!" The white Pokémon answered and fired the three Razor Winds forty-five degrees apart from each other, resulting in one collision and an angry, intimidating roar that ensued.

The ground around them began vibrating as stones seemed to lift from beneath the two Pokémon. Lyte's heart froze as he acted immediately. "Split!" Absol and Dagger dashed apart into the blizzard while he took as many steps back as he could, expecting to touch the stone and ice wall. However, Lyte hadn't expected to pass _through_ the wall resulting in him losing his footing and falling backwards. The frozen mist from his heavy breathing began to lesson at the realization of the interior around him. The roars continued outside as he figured Absol and Dagger must have engaged in battle with their attacker. With the small amount of time he gave himself to examine the interior, he lifted his goggles and came to the conclusion that a Pokémon must've been living there. Food with semi-frozen berries was stored off to the side and a makeshift bed was made in a corner while other various items/tools were lying around. Natural light came through the entrance that turned out to be in plain sight but the wall still looked to be there when he stepped outside again.

He had no time. Lyte took a metal peg from his pant leg and planted it beside the illusion of an entrance before dashing off to his battle. A bright beam of light energy travelled at great speeds towards Lyte as he immediately dove out of the way before it dissolved. The trajectory managed to hit where he came from; the Pokémon's home. It caved in and was completely destroyed. When he reached the battle, Absol was left lying on the snow unconscious while Dagger stood his ground against a massive tyranitar.

"Dagger, Double Team!" The mightyena copied himself around the armour Pokémon in all directions while Lyte recalled Absol back inside his Pokéball. Something caught him by surprise when he heard a completely different roar emitting from where the destroyed cave was. And almost simultaneously, the air around them stood still and everything went near pitched black for a moment until the tyranitar recoiled back from an attack. What stood standing tall was a Pokémon Lyte had never encountered before. It was a bipedal Pokémon covered in long dark grey fur with red claws and a lengthy red main that reached its feet. Its icy eyes read the incoming Hyper Beam and dodged out of the way while the attack left a wake of destruction. What it didn't see coming was the Stone Edge that followed up. "Go! Protect!" Lyte yelled and pointed to the unaware Pokémon. Thankfully the mightyena had reached the unknown Pokémon in time and shielded them both from harm as the rocks deflected in all directions. Again the grey Pokémon went on the offensive and got in close with what Lyte figured to be a Night Slash. "Dagger use-" Lyte halted the second the raging tyranitar struck the grey Pokémon down with a massive impact, sending it rag-dolling a little ways down the mountain, unconscious.

They needed to get out. Lyte had no Pokémon that could stand up to the rampaging Pokémon.

Lyte lowered his goggles again and thought quickly. "Dagger! Dark Pulse then follow!" Dagger stared directly into the tyranitar's eyes as the large Pokémon roared uncontrollably, causing it to flinched while Lyte dropped his board that began sliding downwards as he ran and used the momentum to attach himself to it. He took a second to ensure the mightyena was following before he grabbed an enlarged empty Pokéball from his jacket and carved to slow near the grey unconscious Pokémon before tapping the device on its back in one motion. The Pokémon disappeared in a beam of red into the Pokéball while Lyte quickly gained momentum down the mountain, through the heavy blizzard and trees. He didn't care if the Pokéball failed to catch the unknown Pokémon or not, as long as it was away from danger. Dagger ran closely behind, keeping up while Lyte picked up his radio with a free hand. "Dave! Come in!" he yelled, the ground shook alarmingly.

At first, the radio was silent. _"I read you, go ahead."_

"Follow my beacon and rendezvous near point delta!"

" _Understood... Be advised, stage 2 avalanche in the area."_

Lyte immediately looked back and his heart jumped at the sight of the incoming wave of ice, snow, and broken trees tumbling toward him. "Dagger!" he yelled worriedly. Carving near the mightyena at full sprint, Lyte put away his radio and reached for his Pokéball before recalling him safely inside. He then quickly replaced the Pokéball with a flare before lighting it for his pilot to hopefully see him. Navigating such a labyrinth of heavy snow and trees was something only he had to do a few times. However, his life was on the line. He lifted the Pokéball in his hand and noticed it was intact. The Pokémon was still in there.

The mountain's slope was beginning to right itself after a minute or so of just straight down. Lyte needed more speed to make it down so he tucked in his arms and knelt as close to the ground as possible. The radio in his pocket made a noise but the wind sounded it out easily. However, he saw the flashing lights of the helicopter up ahead, landed. Determined, Lyte completely stopped carving overall and threw out control for speed, not bothering to look back. But the look on Dave's face told him everything when he made the maneuver to stop himself, throwing away the flare and storing the Pokéball. Lyte saw the snow from braking go so high in a huge wave that the blades chopped most of it away while he sat down and hung on in the side of the craft. "Go!"

The pilot didn't have to think twice as he lifted them away and to safety. Lyte watched the avalanche plummet through their landing site like it was nothing as his adrenaline rush began to end. It was over, and he just couldn't help but chuckle at the thrill. The danger was there, however; they all could have lost their lives. That very thought wiped Lyte's chuckle clean off before he made to get in and shut both the side doors of the craft.

The helicopter's noise was halved as Dave spoke up in the pilot's seat. "We won't be able to make it home in this storm Lyte!"

Lyte's board was finally free from his feet when he looked at just how dark and bad it was getting outside as he lifted his goggles and lowered his frozen neck warmer. Dave didn't get an answer back right away as his boss thought back on the events he and his Pokémon just went through. And the tyranitar, something needed to be done. "Set her down at my place then!" he finally spoke up. "We'll wait it out there." He didn't bother to see his pilot's nod as he brought out the grey Pokémon's Pokéball and held it in his hand. His Pokémon and the one in his hand, all needed to get treated immediately. Gazing outside, he then thought he won't be able to in the current weather. Lexia will have to look after the Pokémon while he tends to Absol and Mightyena. "And when the storm clears," he whispered, "I'll take you to get looked after."

((((()))))

Lyte dropped heavily in his office chair with an exhausted sigh, running his hands through lengthy black hair, happy to be out of his winter gear. The house finally quieted down after the hustle of tending to the injuries of the Pokémon. Dave passed out immediately in the guest room after helping him out and Lexia still has never left the nameless Pokémon's side in her own room. And like him, her interest peaked at the sight of the Pokémon since she too has never seen one. Despite insisting that it should stay inside its Pokeball, Lexia wanted to watch over it personally; she'll be able to take care of herself and ensure the Pokémon stays until it heals.

His eyes stared blankly at the computer screen ahead of him, searching his memories for any clue or knowledge of his new 'friend'. The office was dark except for one source of light atop his desk and the faint glow of the first-floor lights. A few minutes went by like seconds and nothing surfaced. Lyte removed the memory stick from his cell phone and slid it into his laptop before dialling a number on the keyboard. A window appeared and the call began as it ringed. Sure it was getting late, however, Lyte was curious and he needed to know; certainly, his professor possessed information and wouldn't mind checking his finding. After thirty seconds of unanswered ringing, Lyte began to think he was asleep until the window on the monitor revealed an older gentleman sporting reading glasses, grey hair, and silk retirement red pj's all within a reading common of his home.

"Evening Professor Waydes," Lyte greeted the man with bags under his eyes, giving an apologetic smile.

"Good _morning_ should be the proper term Lyte," he answered in a muffled tone, yawning widely. "Nice to hear from you again nonetheless, even at one in the morning."

Lyte shamefully grinned and gazed away for a moment, saying, "yeah, I apologize sir. It's not often I call you."

"Which is why I'm speaking with you now." The professor cleared his throat with a hand over his mouth and had a sip of water from a glass. "Now, what can I do for my old student?"

Lyte straightened himself and got down to business. "I'm sending you a file on a Pokémon I encountered earlier; pictures and a short report. I have never seen this Pokémon before and I was hoping you could shed some light on the matter."

"Let's have a look..." the man said, hushing his tone as he squinted at his computer screen, seemingly having troubles using such a device. Patiently waiting, Lyte crossed his arms from the breeze in the room and leaned into his chair. "That, my boy, is a zoroark," he finally answered, removing his glasses.

"A zoroark?" Lyte asked rhetorically, writing it down before leaning back again, searching his mind for that name but coming out empty. "Can't remember hearing anything about it."

Professor Waydes imitated Lyte's motion and shrugged lightly. "Not surprising; they originate from the Unova region."

Lyte was taken aback. "Wow, that far huh."

"Mmhmm," Waydes mumbled. "What intrigues me the most is how you managed to find such an exotic Pokémon in the first place. The mountains?"

"Yeah." Lyte nodded. "We received an incident report three days prior from Cherrygrove Hospital and we went to go investigate the area on the mountains. Turns out that a rogue tyranitar has gone on an ongoing rampage," he explained, leaning forward onto his desk as he rested his arms on the wooden surface. "My guess is that because of the destruction of that zoroark's home, it showed itself."

The professor held his chin and left his line of sight from the camera, thinking. "Definitely the work of an illusion," he quietly thought out loud before looking at Lyte once more. "Zoroark are rare even from Unova. And for you to catch one here... In the mountains no less."

"Unheard of," Lyte finished, receiving a nod.

"Where is the Pokémon now?"

"Resting in Lexia's care," Lyte answered, Waydes nodding again understandingly. "The tyranitar got a good hit in before we had the chance to escape. Hopefully the storm will clear in the morning so we can head to the Pokémon Centre."

"And what of the tyranitar?" Waydes inquired, making Lyte sigh as he rested back in his chair again, pondering for a moment.

"I don't know... Inform the Rangers or get an Elite out here I guess," he admitted, wishing he could handle the situation himself. "That Pokémon is dangerous, especially in an avalanche zone. And with the competition coming up, I'll have no time to overlook it personally."

Even Lyte's old instructor didn't provide a better alternative as he stayed silent momentarily, gazing off to the side. "I agree," he simply answered. "Regardless, update me on the progress."

"Will do," Lyte gladly said. "I'll let you head back to bed professor. Thanks for your time, I appreciate it." Waydes wasn't the most well-known Pokémon professors from Johto, but one thing he always admired about the man was that he still strived to do new research both in the field and theoretical. So even if he didn't have the answer, Lyte could count on receiving one later from a trustworthy source.

"My pleasure. Give Lexia my best," Waydes said, yawning. "And Lyte." Said person halted from ending the connection and met his old mentor's eyes. "I'll be rooting for you."

Lyte couldn't help but feel pride and smile. "Thanks, professor," he said with a grin before the video stream came to a halt. Waydes wasn't _his_ professor anymore, but he enjoyed calling him by that title. And Lyte was positive he didn't mind either.

"Zoroark huh," Lyte mentioned to himself, crossing his arms as he leaned back, staring blankly ahead of him. How could a Pokémon from Unova end up in the Johto mountains? Zoroark's home didn't feel like it had a human influence; it was less likely the Pokémon was released. But that was no reason to rule that out just yet. However, by a mere first glance, the Pokémon must have been a younger one, which also brought up additional questions. Findings of Pokémon from other than their region of origin weren't uncommon, when in reality certain breeds of Pokémon were beginning to become more common than ever. That wasn't the case with zoroark. Lyte grunted and lobbed his pen onto the desk before standing up, saying, "no point sitting here thinking about it." Except for a few of the kitchen lights, the main floor was nearly dim as Lyte reached the bottom of the stairs, headed towards Lexia's room.

The door creaked open as Lexia gazed up to Lyte from her chair opposite from her bed, forcing a cute grin in her exhausted state, in pyjamas. "Hey," Lyte quietly mentioned to her as he stepped in, almost closing the door behind him. "How's our guest?" The blonde returned her eyes to the ball of grey fur that took her bed, seeming to rest soundly as she passed him a notebook. 'A peaceful slumber', it read. Lyte grinned warmly and gave it back to her, observing the Pokémon as its being ever so slightly moved from breathing. "He did take quite the attack," he said, Lexia sadly frowned, feeling sorry for the dark type as she stood up and made to stand next to the zoroark, reaching a hand to its bandaged forehead before softly stroking its fur near it. Lyte moved immediately to pull her away the second the Pokémon suddenly twitched and awoke, producing deep growls and weak swipes of its claws around it, eyes closed the entire time. "Woah woah," he softly hummed, Lexia taking a deep breath from the sudden shock. "It's ok... It's ok, you're safe." The zoroark must have understood his calm voice as it settled, resting on its arms and knees.

The Pokémon's ice-blue eyes began to open like they were blurred or hurt before the zoroark met Lyte and then Lexia's autumn eyes. "Everything is fine," Lyte spoke up standing directly ahead of the blonde, relaxing his body. At first, the zoroark examined them both before looking around the room. "Remember me?" he inquired softly, pointing to himself as the Pokémon returned its gaze back to him. "My name is Lyte. And this-" Lyte put both his hands on Lexia's shoulders as she smiled as best she could, waving. "-is Lexia." To Lyte's great surprise, the zoroark nodded just as the blonde moved to the side for a plastic bowl of oran berries before graciously holding it out for the Pokémon, slightly too close for Lyte's liking but he remained where he was. A still moment passed by before the zoroark grabbed one and plopped the whole thing in its mouth, Lyte sighing in relief as he smiled.

Lyte moved to sit where she was before to think while Lexia happily moved closer to the Pokémon, holding the bowl out with two hands, offering the zoroark all of them. And just like the Pokémon hadn't eaten in days, the bowl was emptied in a matter of seconds, the blonde almost giggling to herself as she set the bowl down on a night table. Lexia could've sworn she saw her new Pokémon friend happily smiling at her silliness, resulting in her giving the Pokémon a warm grin with a tilted head. For the first time in zoroark's eyes, Lexia sat down beside the dark type on the bed and gently reached out, seemingly asking for permission. Zoroark instantly recognized her intentions and moved its head to her hand, near the mane as she happily began to pet. A smile slipped through Lyte's tired state as he stood. "Lexia," he called, making them both look over. "Can you bring zoroark over to the garage?"

Lexia gladly nodded as Lyte left them and entered through the garage door by the kitchen before flicking a switch, bringing the lights to life. The wind and snow made attempts to move the building through soft whistling and padding as he stepped onto the cold concrete surface with his socks. Bad decision to leave his truck outside in the snowstorm, he thought to himself, walking over to one of his toolboxes. Rested above the rubber surface was zoroark's Pokéball. He picked up the device and examined it, wondering what the outcome would be. The door into the house swung gently open, revealing Lexia who stepped off to the side and zoroark behind her. Lyte smiled as best he could, worried to his heart, and said, "I'm glad to see you're better Zoroark. Come here for a sec." The zoroark exchanged glances with Lexia, receiving a nod of encouragement, before they stood facing each other. It was difficult for Lyte to look directly at the Pokémon before him but he managed to force himself, bringing the Pokéball above his waist. "I have no right to keep you here Zoroark. That decision is yours to make," he said before holding the minimize button on the device and pushing two different hidden switches, deactivating the Pokéball entirely as it opened to an empty space. "This Pokéball can't hold you anymore," he said, walking over to the wide garage door, pushing a button on the wall. Immediately the bay door responded and lifted, revealing a settled snowstorm of deep snow and a near pitched black space outside.

"You're free now," Lyte said softly, mentioning outside. The zoroark gazed ahead into the abyss for a moment, walking forward until coming to a stop before concrete met snow, turning to Lyte. "It's ok," he encouraged, smiling. By the house door, Lexia looked on worriedly, not wanting to see the zoroark leave. And the moment Lyte thought the Pokémon would step outside, he was met with a sudden hug of fur, taken back and confused. The young man came to his senses and rested an arm on the Pokémon until the zoroark released and made its way back to Lexia, stopping to gaze back at Lyte. He couldn't believe it; the zoroark chose to stay with them. Lexia's happiness level nearly went into overdrive as she too went in for a bear hug before leading him back inside.

Lyte stayed behind, placing the now miniature Pokéball and his hands into his pockets as he stood to watch the snow fall gently from the sky and beyond the trees. Each of his breaths turned into white frozen mist from his nose as he couldn't stop smiling. The moment they shared reminded him of none other than Lexia, bringing effortless happiness. Lyte took one final deep breath of fresh air and closed the garage door.


	5. Chapter 5

A loud crash startled Lyte from his beauty sleep as his eyes slowly lifted open, his mind of dough trying to comprehend what he heard. The coolness of the morning gave him a chill the second he removed the blankets to stand as he grunted, "what now." Clothed in mere boxer briefs, he found a plain white shirt and a pair of blue pyjama pants before heading downstairs where he thought he heard the noise, yawning along the way with heavy eyes. He blinked a couple times, wanting to yawn again, at the scene in front of him. Lexia, with hair in all kinds of places and in pyjamas, like she just woke a second ago, stopped her rush mid-way from pick up Lyte's memorabilia snowboards that were displayed decoratively along the walls. While his newer companion, Zoroark, stood poking at different decor along the fireplace, failing to notice Lyte was in the room, or Lexia for that matter. "Morning," Lyte said, making sure to say it slow and questionable. The scare on the blonde's face was rare but genuine; Lexia knew just how dear the display snowboards were to Lyte. Zoroark too turned to him and back to the picture he was fiddling with, almost pointing at it.

A sigh was all Lyte expressed. If it were anyone else besides Lexia or Zoroark, he probably would have got upset. Lexia stood and silently but carefully placed the snowboards back into their original position on the wall, expecting to hear an earful. It never came however before Lyte walked over and rubbed her back with a smile. "Thanks," he spoke appreciatively, receiving a grin in return before she retreated back into her room. The picture Zoroark was curious about was one of him and his sister on a snowboard and skis respectively, taken from the ski resort his office was based from. Lyte waited for a moment for a reaction but the Pokémon remained still. "Like the picture?" he tenderly asked, the bipedal dark type turning to him then back. The sound he received was like a soft groan in the Pokémon's throat. The zoroark's ice-blue eyes left the picture and to the snowboards featured on the wall that Lexia had just placed back, then back to the picture. "Recognize that?" The neutral growl Lyte got back wanted him to think the Pokémon agreed. Still, he felt he needed to be careful around the dark type until the Pokémon warmed up to him.

"Lexia," Lyte called, the girl herself appearing a few seconds later from her bedroom, slightly more awake. "Mind showing Zoroark around the house? I'm going to wash up." Zoroark surprisingly looked over to Lexia as she nodded with a smile. Satisfied, Lyte headed back upstairs to restart his morning.

((((()))))

"I'm _really_ surprised that it warmed up to you that fast," Dave said, adjusting his helmet and goggles.

Lyte rested an arm on the chair-lift's safety bars and gazed below them as they were lifted further up the mountain, reimagining the events of the previous day. "Yeah... but for anyone else or any Pokémon, it would have been traumatic." He turned back to Dave. "Even the Rangers are still figuring out how to deal with that tyranitar."

Dave raised a brow, locking in the chin strap of the helmet. "Really?"

Lyte nodded. "Had to brief head office of the situation first thing this morning. They only plan to take emergency action if it gets worse." The air began thinning out slightly as their chair reached the height of the low clouds before visibility was reduced.

"We could go try catch it and bring it back down," Dave suggested, finally putting on his gloves.

With a kick of his free right foot, Lyte shook the excess snow off his park snowboard before answering, "we could. But that would mean snowmobiling up _with_ avalanche Pokémon and gear." Dave nodded, already understanding where his boss was coming from. "Because as if we'd be able to get a team by air." Finished with his snow gear, Dave joined in on the silence as Lyte thought about it, catching sight of the top of the chairlift. "No. With the festival coming up, I can't chance it."

"Understandable."

"Besides," Lyte continued, stretching with a chuckle. "I'm a little sore from yesterday. Can't compete if I make it worse." Dave simply nodded with smug grin Lyte couldn't see through his neck warmer. "But everything went smoothly at the office?"

"Mmhmm. Ice was built up by the rotors but we managed. Was told it was going to get fueled up for me so, you know," Dave explained as Lyte chuckled. "Definitely nice to work on weekends though. Nobody's there! I could sleep all day and no one would know!"

Lyte shook his head with a grin. "Yeah, that's why I used your vacation to buy everyone lunch those couple days." He never saw his friend's eyes get so big before that made Lyte burst out laughing, even more so at the sight of his dumbfounded face. "You should have seen your face!" he finally said after calming down a bit.

"You didn't."

He took to wipe off his tears behind his goggles before realizing that they were nearing the top as Lyte settle down. "Nah, you're fine. But seriously though, use your damn vacation. The accountants are turning into tyranitars themselves."

Dave finally cracked a smile that was hidden. "Soon man, soon." The two friends both brought their trusty snowboards forward as they prepped to jump off the lift. "How did everything go at the Pokémon Centre?"

"Everything seems fine," Lyte answered, making contact with the snow and giving a push off the chairlift with Dave in tow. "Lexia is there with Zoroark to keep an eye on him," he added, heading to the right where the exit downwards was. It only took ten minutes for the duo to reach the summit of the resort's tallest skiing mountains, yet one of the smallest in the Johto region. Lyte gazed straight ahead at the neighbouring mountains that surrounded them like titans and took in a breath of fresh air before Dave spoke up again.

"Doesn't she hate the Pokémon Centre?" Dave asked as they carved to a stop to strap their free foot in.

Lyte stood straight after he finished tightening his bindings, answering, "she does, but it was her decision to stay behind. Maybe she sees a bit of herself in the Pokémon. I don't know." He paused, thinking about it momentarily. "Definitely taken a liking to Zoroark though, to say the least."

Dave stood too. "No doubt," he said, scanning the paths below then to Lyte. "Took her quite the while to warm up to me."

With a smile, Lyte shrugged. "To be fair, the first time you met her, you were a walking zombs."

"You know you needed me to work those hours," Dave retorted with a scoff.

Lyte expressed a look of hurt as he clenched his heart. "You say that like I didn't give you those two weeks off the following week," he answered, chuckling. "Besides, you weren't forced to." Dave basically shrugged it off like it was nothing and gazed forward again. "So what do you figure? The three bumps?" Lyte asked, catching sight of where the giant ramps started further down, closer to the bottom and the ski lodge; the main stage for the festival.

"Last time we tried, the snow wasn't packed down enough. Think it's done yet?"

Lyte gave the three jumps a stare, catching a few of the mountain crew still working on the finishing touches of the slopestyle course which, thankfully, were mostly cosmetic. "I'll tell you right now: if those jumps aren't completed by tomorrow, they won't be ready when the weekend rolls around." He gave his pilot a smug look before shrugging. "But there's only one way to find out. It'll probably be slower since it's so nice out, but I don't think it will be as bad as last time."

"Y'know, trusty back hill jump is always open too," Dave awkwardly mentioned, pointing behind himself in the general direction.

"I mean _you_ can go there," Lyte replied with a scoff, finding Dave's hesitation baffling after only one wipeout at the new terrain. "But I want the jumps to be perfect. So I need to test them out myself to make sure." When he didn't get an answer, Lyte simply shrugged. "Whatever you want to do man," he said, angling his board downwards with a small jump before leaving. Lyte stopped just short of the start of the first jump and eyed the remaining expertly. As much fun as it was to go all out for the sake of practice, he had to be sure there weren't any crews performing maintenance, especially behind the jumps. "Where the hell are the lookouts anyway," he asked himself frowning, finding no such personnel around. The time told twelve forty-three in the afternoon when he glanced at his phone and it, not surprisingly, made sense as he sighed. "Of course it's lunchtime." At least one person was supposed to be in charge of lookout at all times during the working hours for safety reasons, no exception. Lyte shook his head, making a note to find the supervisor when he reached the bottom, before angling his board ahead.

Because it happened to him before, Lyte bypassed the first jump and rode up the landing so he wouldn't hit anyone. The view at the top enabled anyone to see the second and last jump clearly as well as the majority of the landings. Lyte launched the second jump with just straight air for the sake of testing the snow before being a little flashier and confident in the final jump with a front double cork ten-eighty but landing slightly awkward. He chuckled to himself from the adrenaline and checked his speed as he passed a few cheering workers with their Pokémon.

With a flick of his fingers to his forehead, he said his nonverbal 'hello' and continued down to the chalet and the main stage, stopping just short of the walkway. The main stage was probably Lyte's second most exciting feature of the festival, and it looked perfect. The platform wasn't as flaring or as big as the music festivals in Goldenrod City or Pulse in Hoenn, which was one of the largest music festivals in the world, but perfect to accommodate a mountainside party without causing avalanches.

Lyte grinned with anticipation. It was going to be a blast.

The device in his jacket vibrated and rang until he retrieved it, sliding it open before answering. "Hello?"

An aged womanly voice spoke up. "Lyte! Guess who?"

"Terra." Lyte chuckled, smiling.

"You mean _mom_." She laughed as well on the other line. "Why haven't you called? I get worried too you know."

"Yeah sorry, I got caught up," Lyte answered, loosening himself out of the bindings before picking up his snowboard. "It's been nuts over here."

"Lexia told me. Make sure you don't forget about her. I miss both of you."

He glanced up the mountain. "You know I never forget about her. We miss you too. Are you coming down for the festival?"

"It's this weekend right?"

"Well, Wednesday evening is the big opening, but the events don't start till Thursday."

There was a huff on the other line as she sighed. "I don't like the idea of you being part of the competition." Lyte was first to be silent, frowning. "Just, promise you'll be careful," she spoke again but softly, breaking the awkward moment.

"I will," Lyte mumbled, tired of reassuring her. "So are you coming?"

"Of course. I have a meeting Friday morning in Cherrygrove but I'll drive down when I'm done," she answered.

Lyte smiled, resting his board on one of the many ski-racks when he reached the chalet doors. "Sounds good."

"Make sure Lexia meditates at least twice a week. I know she can get lazy sometimes and forget," she mentioned, sensing the conversation ending soon.

"Will do."

"And it would do you some good too; helps with the stress." Lyte rolled his eyes, glad she couldn't see him do it. She only sighed when he didn't say anything. "Well, I'll let you get back to it. I love you."

"Love you too. Drive safe on Friday," Lyte answered before they said their farewells, hanging up as he went inside.

* * *

Lexia fiddled her thumbs nervously. She gazed ahead from her padded seat in the middle of the Pokémon Centre's lobby to the reception table. Nurse Joy still hasn't returned. A younger, more novice receptionist took her place in her absence but offered no updates on Zoroark's condition. Her head lowered again, staring at the polished grey floor, hoping nothing was wrong.

"Hey!"

She instantly recognized the voice and it made her smile in return as she stood to meet Lyte, walking in from the cold. He chuckled when she hugged him.

"How's he doing?" Lyte asked, noticing the lack of the ski resort's Pokémon Nurse. "Still not out yet?" Lexia shook her head, looking at the double doors where Joy took him. He rubbed her back reassuringly. "Don't worry, he'll be ok. Zoroark had the best care he could at home," he said, his smile brightening up her spirits.

The Pokémon Centre remained steadily free of any other people for the next hour. Lyte was busy making business calls while Lexia watched a boring tv show off in a corner while they waited. A soft melodic chime rung across the lobby and not before long, Nurse Joy emerged from the double white doors with a tray in her hands alongside her assistant chansey, both with pleasant smiles.

"Oh, good afternoon Lyte," Joy spoke the second she saw him waving back, surprised. "Very nice to see you again." She then turned to Lexia who stood up quickly, eager to get any news at that point. "I'm happy to report Zoroark is completely healthy." The young blonde jumped for joy and rushed to meet the Pokémon Nurse, smiling at the red and white sphere sitting comfortably on the tray.

Lyte rested a hand on Lexia's shoulder when he walked over, receiving a nod of approval from him before she took the Pokéball in her hands. "Thank you for looking after him," he said to Joy.

"My pleasure. Until next time," she answered, giving a little bow before heading into the back again.

All Lexia wanted to do was release her new friend so she could show her world to him. However, Lyte stopped her just short by placing a hand atop the Pokéball when she made to open it, forcing her to look at him curiously. "Let's wait until we get home. I don't know if he likes car rides," he said sheepishly. Lexia nodded understandingly with a grin, holding the Pokéball close as they got ready to leave.

Back at home, the day was beginning to wind down. The sun had already set and brought temporary darkness to the mountain landscape. Lexia padded the pillows in the spare bedroom, making sure everything was to her liking for Zoroark, while said Pokémon was standing right behind her, examining every picture and furniture he could see with wonder. The bedroom door softly creaked open across the carpet as they both looked at a grinning Lyte in his lounging clothes of a plain t-shirt and sweatpants.

"I hope you don't mind it in here," he mentioned to Zoroark, leaning on the door frame. The dark type made a groan of approval, smiling as best he could back to him much like Lexia did. Both Lexia _and_ Lyte were caught by surprise when a low flash of light emanated from Zoroark until an exact copy of Lyte replaced the Pokémon standing there, smiling back childishly. "So that's your illusion ability," Lyte said, chuckling. "Jeez, I didn't think my hair was _that_ bad." And in a split second, suddenly the copy of him had an afro hairdo that made them all start laughing.

Lyte's cell phone rang off in the kitchen, shortening the humorous moment. "I'll be in the living room if you two need anything," he said, leaving to answer the call. Surprisingly, it was Jen. She rarely calls, he thought. "Hey sis," he answered, holding the phone up to his ear to a hollow sound like she was driving.

"Hey. How are you?"

"I'm doing alright. You? I'm surprised you're calling this late," he answered, leaning against the counter.

"I'm good. Hey, I wanted to ask you something, I guess."

Hopefully, there wasn't anything wrong, he thought to himself. "Sure. What's up?"

"Well," she began, hesitating before her voice unexpectedly became bold. "I've been with Chayse for a while now and I see us being together." It took every ounce of his power not sigh. "I trust him, so I want to show him."

Lyte turned serious, but that time, he resisted himself not to hang up. He should have known. "Absolutely not."

"It's not your decision. Lexia can decide for herself! She doesn't need you to keep her on a leash every day," she retorted, her voice full of the ego she was known for.

The cell phone was gripped tightly in Lyte's hold, which he could very well break like he wanted to. "ON A Ffff..." He stopped himself just shy of his voice being heard in the other room as he glanced there in the corner of his eye. "You think I'm forcing her here?! Is that what you think? I don't see you hel-"

"It's Lexia's decision Lyte!" Jen almost yelled in his ear while Lexia herself emerged from the bedroom, shutting off the spare bedroom lights and closing the door before looking at him worriedly. "She's old enough to take care of herself!"

Lyte hesitated; he didn't want Lexia to hear any part of it. Yet, it was too late. "And what makes you think you can trust some guy you've been with for only a few months huh?" It was difficult to restrain his tone.

The silent treatment was just like their mother's, which he hated with every nerve in his body. Jen's voice lowered, just like their mother had done many times before. "It's not up to you," she finished in a dead tone, hanging up.

Once he suspected of her doing so by looking at the device's screen, to an empty home page, Lyte allowed his anger get the better of him as he cursed loudly and threw the phone across the living room, scaring Lexia. The device bounced hard a couple times until it rested flat on the floor, likely broken.

The look Lyte had was almost feral, frightening. He turned his back without acknowledging her and retreated to the garage in anger. Soon, the truck roared to life and gradually faded away until it was silent all throughout and around the home. Lexia witnessed him do the same in the past when his frustration overcame him; running the company was no exception. There were times even _she_ couldn't deal with the stress Lyte went through.

Lexia knelt down by the large glass window where the cell phone landed and carefully placed it in her hands. The screen was an elaborate maze of cracks and the device itself was bent beyond repair. She then made her way over to the kitchen counter and rested the deceased device across the marble surface, her worry growing with each passing minute. If not for Zoroark, she herself would go and be there for him. Just who was he talking to that would make him that upset? Lexia wondered.

An hour went by and Lyte had yet to return. Lexia tried leaving the tv on to quietly play Lyte's favourite music channel hoping it was somehow calm her, but it did the opposite. With her open sketchbook in one hand and a still pencil in the other, the worry overcame the motivation to complete the half drawn picture of Lyte and Zoroark; all she could sketch was the dark type but Lyte was still missing from the once clean canvas.

Her heart jolted with excitement when she heard the front door suddenly open as she stood immediately. But her quick smile turned to confusion as Jen and her boyfriend entered the house, unannounced. Were they staying over that night?

"Brrr, it's cold out there," Jen mentioned with a small grin, taking off her jacket the moment Chayse closed the door.

"Hello," Chayse awkwardly greeted, doing the same but ended up with the responsibility of hanging up their jackets.

Lexia forced a small grin but flipped her sketchbook to a new page before writing on it. Jen waited patiently when she was next to her before Lexia held it up for her to read. 'Nice to see you again. I did not know you were staying tonight.'

Jen gently took her sketchbook and pencil before she had a chance to think and laid them near the broken cell phone, holding Lexia's hands in hers. "Yeah, about that. Sorry this was out of the blue; I didn't know we'd be here earlier," she said with a light chuckle, moving her over to the living room.

Both Jen and Chayse ended up sitting on the couch before she knew it, seemingly excited about something which greatly confused her to quite an extent while she stood before them. Oddly to her, they never once asked about Lyte. Was it possible she had news about marriage? Weren't they too young?

Jen rested her hands on his legs and leaned forward toward her. "Lexia," she started, but then paused, looking back and forth between Chayse and to the girl she mentioned. "I'd like you to do something that would mean the world to me, to both of us. Can you do that?"

Marriage was the only topic Lexia could think of considering how excited Jen was. Or maybe, was she pregnant? Suddenly, that very idea had her smiling brightly with anticipation of her own before nodding happily.

Lexia was not ready for what Jen actually wanted.

"I see me and Chayse being together for a really long time and well," Lyte's sister paused, almost like she was conflicted with herself. "-could you show us your real form?"

The question caught her off guard as her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest. Why would Jen ask something like that? Lyte repeatedly warned her and Jen about the dangers of doing so, saying 'only the ones we can trust are allowed to know.' Jen trusted Chayse that much? But she agreed to it...

"Please?" Jen asked again while Lexia stood warily, gazing at the floor. "It would mean so much to me," she finished with a softer tone. Chayse looked on with great interest, not saying a word.

Lexia's gentle autumn eyes eventually met with Jen's emerald ones. Hesitantly, Lexia nodded, her warm smile she was known for, gone in a split second. Would Lyte approve, she had to ask herself. The blonde took a step back and breathed deeply, holding her hands to her sides instead of laced together like they were before. A bright glow of a magnificent shade of blue erupted and lit up the interior of her home for a few seconds until it faded completely, leaving behind any traces of the blonde that once stood in place. Instead, a beautiful and elegant red and white Pokémon with great wings that reached out in a stretch floated before the couple, the same autumn eyes looking back at them.

Chayse nearly jumped out of his seat and tripped as Lexia moved back to avoid him. She still wasn't sure about Jen's idea, and it troubled her.

The ebony-haired girl quickly rose to help him with a chuckle until they both stood up straight. "This is Lexia," Jen reintroduced, pointing at the Pokémon for him. "She's a latias."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Life can hit us in unexpected ways, like it did for me.  
**

 **I couldn't let a month slip by without an update. If I did, it would easily turn into a bad habit. I only wish it was longer.**

* * *

Today was the big day. Yet, Lyte couldn't seem to swing into the excitement of the festival like the others. Years of planning, preparation, and dedication had finally led him to what he dreamed of.

But why was he feeling so scared and nervous? Those feelings weren't what he was expecting. Was he supposed to?

Lyte breathed in the fresh mountain, hoping it would clear his mind as the blue sky above. How little it helped. Regardless of hiking up the mountain to his favourite spot that towered over his home, the view that usually eased his mind did nothing. The cold bit him like it was trying to tell him to stay away.

Seated atop his snowboard, Lyte hid his face in his gloved hands. For the first time in a long while, he was conflicted with himself.

Eventually, his emerald eyes gazed up and ahead across the slice of the vast region of Johto he could see. There was still one more night before the competition; he still had time to mentally prep himself.

If only he could.

The weather worsened on his way down, to his great disappointment. First, the snow fell lightly, then by the time Lyte reached the halfway point where the trees became dense, the coin-sized snowflakes made it impossible to see further than a few paces ahead. A whiteout... On opening day. Lyte sighed heavily as he rode down on his mountain board, stressed.

Thankfully it stopped when he reached home, the sun had yet to come out from the clouds, however.

Lyte took more time to himself after loosening himself out of the snowboard, deciding to rest on the padded seat of his snowmobile which was parked against the wall of the garage. It was so peaceful living in the mountains; it always provided a calming silence and a gentle breeze on most days, even if it was slightly too cold.

His head was rested on his arms that stretched across the snowmobile's handlebars when Lexia hesitantly decided to meet him. She brought her warm smile the second they met eyes. But Lyte's grin only lasted a few seconds before his eyes returned to the majestic mountain ahead. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing what I'm doing," he suddenly mentioned, his voice so uncertain and lost.

Lexia wasted no time pulling out a small notepad and pencil. 'You love what you do,' she quickly wrote and displayed, trying to reassure him. The little chuckle and sigh she got in return did little to her efforts.

"I know... But what's stopping me from leaving it all behind to live a quieter life? There's so many people that would give anything to have what we have. You would enjoy that much more than living here," Lyte finished in a more solemn tone.

The blonde narrowed her eyes and frowned, writing again. 'Where I belong is by your side!' the note read.

Surprised, Lyte lifted his head from the handlebars and looked at her. Pure autumn eyes stared back at him, worry and determination seeing beyond his negativity. Eventually, yet inevitably, Lyte brought out a warm smile of his own; one that relieved her.

'You promised me you would protect me and watch over me. If I want to remain here, you must reach your dream,' Lexia wrote before the latias she was meant to be appeared from a bright light and seamlessly floated beside him.

Lyte made her that promise and reminded her of it many times over; he never would have thought she would use it against him. It made him smile wider actually. The latias cooed a few notes in speech, her eyes unwavering from his. The worry stuck in her heart nearly vanished in a single second when he chuckled and brought her forward with a gloved hand on her white neck, meeting each other's forehead in a hug. Lexia cooed again but happily that time. "Then I have no choice," Lyte admitted with a wide grin, their eyes closed. "Thank you, Lexia."


End file.
